Packers ready for life without Matthews, Jones

Oct. 11, 2013

Written by

The unproven depth the Green Bay Packers had coming into the season at both inside and outside linebacker will be put to the test this Sunday as life without Clay Matthews and Brad Jones officially begins in Baltimore.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy confirmed on Friday that Matthews will miss “three to four weeks” after undergoing surgery on his thumb this week, meaning Nick Perry will slide over to Matthews’ spot at right outside linebacker with Mike Neal starting on the left side.

Jones’ most recent hamstring flare-up isn’t expected to sideline him as long as Matthews, but he was ruled out already on Wednesday with third-year linebacker Jamari Lattimore scheduled to make his first NFL start.

A defensive end at Middle Tennessee State, Lattimore converted to outside linebacker after signing with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He, along with Jones, made the switch to inside linebacker last season to better complement his 6-foot-2, 237-pound frame.

A standout on special teams, Lattimore played only eight defensive snaps in 2012, but the Packers’ track record for replacing inside linebackers is one reason why position coach Winston Moss isn’t too concerned.

After all, this is the same team that lost Desmond Bishop and D.J. Smith to season-ending injuries in 2012 before finally turning to Jones.

“Jamari is a hard-worker. He has aspirations. This is something that he’s wanted,” Moss said. “I think that now it’s come at a time to where it should give him something to really step into and embrace this moment. It doesn’t come along often. He has some shoes to fill. All the guys who have come in, in the past have played well and so this is important for him. It’s important for the defense. It’s important for this team.”

Veteran linebacker A.J. Hawk will take over Jones’ spot as the team’s three-down inside linebacker who communicates with the sideline. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers added that Lattimore will wear the backup communication helmet should something happen to Hawk.

(Page 2 of 2)

For a brief moment during Friday’s practice, it looked like Hawk and Lattimore might end up being the team’s only two healthy linebackers as the team’s only other reserve, rookie Sam Barrington, sat out with a hip injury.

However, both Barrington and McCarthy said after practice that his absence was a scheduled wear-and-tear off day. He’s listed as probable and expects to play.

Even if Hawk and Lattimore get through Sunday unscathed, Barrington will be needed on a special-teams unit playing without Robert Francois, the Packers’ other inside linebacker who was placed on season-ending injured reserve after tearing his right Achilles after relieving Jones on Sunday.

According to Francois’ Twitter account, he was scheduled to have surgery on Friday morning.

“The way this business has gone, because it seems like every week it’s a new combination,” Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. “About the time you feel good you think, ‘Well, let’s get this group together and we can kind of get ’em going, we can get a little momentum,’ but it’s not the way it works. We’ve had that happen a lot around here since I’ve been here.”

The Packers received some good news at outside linebacker as Andy Mulumba returned to practice after missing two days due to an ankle injury. He’ll likely rotate in behind Perry and Neal at outside linebacker as the top reserve.

If needed, the Packers also have sixth-round rookie Nate Palmer at their disposal, as well.

McCarthy said he sat down with team doctor Pat McKenzie when he received word on Matthews’ timetable. Last season, the Packers went 3-1 without Matthews due to a hamstring pull.

“I feel real good about my group of kids that I have in there, no matter whether I put Andy Mulumba or Nate Palmer or Mike Neal out there,” Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene said. “I really feel good about who’s in my room. I feel solid.”